Sindh News

BHP Billiton announced the recipients of the Company’s Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) Awards for its employees at a ceremony in Melbourne. BHP Billiton’s HSEC Awards showcase innovative projects from across the Company that enhance commitment to health, safety, the environment and the communities that host our operations. From a water management program in the Pilbara to an education program in rural Pakistan, this year marked the 15th anniversary of the global internal awards program. This year, the Company received a total of 100 entries across the four Awards categories. The ceremony was attended by 24 awards finalists, BHP Billiton Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mackenzie, BHP Billiton’s Group Management Committee, employees and partners.

The Pakistan government has decided to upgrade the basic infrastructure for construction of commercial cargo ships and warships, including F-22 P frigates, in Karachi, according to a report on www.uniquepakistan.com. The government has allocated funds for the fiscal year 2007-08 and it has already dropped Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited (KSEW) from its proposed privatization list. It is envisaged that if shipbuilding projects for the Pakistan Navy, Karachi Port Trust (KPT)…

The wreck of the TASMAN SPIRIT has been successfully removed. The aft section was re-floated on Saturday, March 6, and was yesterday delivered to buyers at Gadani Beach in the province of Baluchistan, Pakistan. This follows the earlier removal of the forward section of the tanker that had run aground in the channel into Karachi Port on July 27 last year. The wreck removal contractors SMIT Salvage B.V., were operating under a wreck removal contract agreed with The American Club, the vessel’s liability insurers. Speaking in London, Brian Davies, Claims Director of The American Club said, ‘We are very pleased with the outcome. SMIT have completed a difficult operation under difficult circumstances well within the required time frame.

Pakistan's demand for natural gas is anticipated to double by the year 2005, an increase which the country require an increase in gas imports, the state-run Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said. SSGC managing director Mukhtar Ahmed said gas supplies of 500 million cu. ft. (14.16 million cu. m) per day from five new fields would be available by the end of 2002, but high local demand required other options such as imports. Currently, Pakistan produces 2.4 billion cubic cu. ft. (67.96 million cu. m) a day, one billion cu. ft. a day short of the domestic demand. Ahmed said that gas demand would grow by 3,581 million cu. ft. per day in 2005 and projections for the year 2010 was 3,868 million cu. ft. per day.

On Tuesday, Pakistan granted an oil and gas exploration license to a joint venture of a local firm and Kuwait Energy Company for an offshore block in southern Sindh province, according to www.ndtvprofit.com. The Kunri block lies in the four districts of Sindh and covers area of 2,486 sq. km (960 sq mile). The local firm, New Horizon Exploration and Production Limited, has 40 percent working interest in the venture. Kuwait Energy Company is an independent firm that is active in Egypt, Oman, Yemen, Indonesia, Syria and Russia. Pakistan’s liberal exploration policy has attracted interest from local as well as foreign firms in recent years, making oil and gas one of the largest investment areas.

The government on March 6 awarded two petroleum exploration licenses to Malaysian Oil and gas exploration company Petronas over two blocks located in Sindh. According to the agreement, the company will start exploration activities in these blocks for $11.5 million. The agreement was signed by Secretary Petroleum Ahmed Waqar, DG Petroleum Concession Muhammad Naeem Malik and Country Director Petronas Muhammad Johari on behalf of their organizations. (Source: PakTribune.com)

Pakistan granted an offshore oil and gas exploration licence on Friday to a consortium led by the state-run Government Holding Private Ltd (GHPL), according to a report on www.thepeninsulaqatar.com. Under the concession the company and its five Pakistani and foreign partners will spend $18m to drill an exploration well in the Indus E Block off the coast of Sindh province in 2006, the Ministry of Petroleum said in a statement. The block, covering an area of 7,389.95 sq km, is about 150km off the coast of Karachi in water more than 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) deep, it said. The other companies in the GHPL-led consortium — Shell Development and Offshore Pakistan…